At least 137 people were killed and 5,000 wounded in a massive explosion that shook Beirut on Tuesday, according to Lebanon's health minister. Hundreds have been reported missing, raising fears that the death toll will rise, the health minister said Wednesday. More than 300,000 people have been displaced from their homes. Authorities declared Beirut a "disaster city" and imposed a two-week state of emergency. It's still unclear what exactly caused the explosion. Lebanon's prime minister said an investigation would focus on an estimated 2,750 metric tons of the explosive ammonium nitrate stored at a warehouse.
Families have been forced to seek temporary shelter with relatives and friends or in schools or other civic buildings. According to local assessments, as many as 500,000 people may need assistance with immediate needs such as food, clothing, and shelter. This disaster could not come at a worse time, says World Vision’s national director in Lebanon, Hans Bederski. “Lebanon is in the middle of an economic crisis and has also seen the rate of COVID-19 infections drastically increase over the past few weeks.”
World Vision response is under way and expected to reach close to 120,000 individuals, half of them children, with the following support: Basic needs such as food, household items, and hygiene supplies for displaced families. Temporary shelter or housing repairs for families whose homes were damaged. Psychological first aid to help children and families affected by the explosion. World Vision has been working in part of the impacted zone for 11 years. “We are really worried about the families and children who live in the affected areas. We are trying to account for those we work with and assess the impact this has had on them,” says Josephine Haddad, World Vision communications manager. “The blast has shaken not just Beirut, but the whole country.”
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